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Chennai – a brief overview

Steamy and sultry, the first city of South India is often overlooked, but this bustling metropolis is the perfect gateway to the Indian south, within easy striking distance of Mamallapuram and Puducherry. What Chennai lacks in world-famous sights, it makes up for in fabulous food – Tamil Nadu is renowned across India for its lavishly spiced curries, prepared with ‘pure veg’ to appeal to local religious sensibilities.

The city offers restaurants galore, myriad temples, abundant museums, historic colonial monuments and a 13km city beach blessed with cooling sea breezes. With the new Chennai Metro to take the sting out of the city’s famous traffic jams, there has never been a better time to visit.

Top 10 sights in Chennai

Marina Beach

Kamarajar Salai 600005 Chennai India Show on map

The drifting sandy beach that slips into the Bay of Bengal is Chennai’s favourite place to unwind, whether that means flying a kite, eating street food, paddling in the ocean or strolling hand in hand along the sand. Come at dusk to see the city at its most relaxed and uninhibited.

Fort St George

Founded in 1653 by the British East India Company, the city fortress contains Chennai’s oldest colonial church, plus a fascinating city museum and the handsome buildings of the Tamil Nadu state government. Wander the precincts and imagine Chennai at the height of its power as a global trading hub.

Government Museum

Set in a grand, Indo-Saracenic folly on Pantheon Road, the city’s top museum has everything from exquisite temple carvings and elegant bronzes of Hindu deities to giant model dinosaurs. Highlights of the collection include objects from India’s earliest civilisations, and the museum complex covers two art galleries and the Chennai’s children’s museum.

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

No South Indian city would be complete without a towering Dravidian temple, topped by a statue-covered gopuram (temple spire) painted in almost hallucinatory colours. In Chennai, that temple is the Kapaleeshwarar, dedicated to Parvati, wife of Shiva in her incarnation as the goddess of the wish-fulfilling tree, and thronged by pilgrims day and night.

Vivekananda House

The spiritual centre for the Swami Vivekananda organisation is set in a handsome icehouse, formerly used to store huge blocks of ice shipped to Chennai from the USA. Devotees flock here to practise meditation and learn more about the wandering monk who rose to become one of India’s most followed gurus.

Kalashetra Foundation

Founded to preserve the rich traditional art forms of South India, this famous school has been training dancers and musicians since 1936. As well as regular performances, the centre has a busy craft centre where artisans produce traditional artworks and textiles, and a famous banyan tree where students gather for prayers before classes.

San Thome Cathedral

A legacy of the Portuguese settlement in Chennai, this neo-Gothic cathedral is believed by local Christians to be the final resting place of St Thomas the Apostle. The doubting disciple was allegedly killed on St Thomas Mount in AD72 while bringing Christianity to India, and his tomb stands behind the cathedral that bears his name.

Madras High Court

Established in 1862 on the orders of Queen Victoria, the state court of Tamil Nadu is a Chennai icon, designed in classic Indo-Saracenic style in 1892 by colonial architect Henry Irwin. Topped by a veritable forest of onion domes, the courthouse has the surprising distinction of being one of the only structures in India to be damaged by Germany during WWI.

Theosophical Society

Harmony between faiths is the message of The Theosophical Society, whose peaceful campus includes Hindu and Buddhist temples plus a church and mosque. The headquarters of the organisation is a huge whitewashed mansion surrounded by park-like grounds full of splaying banyan trees.

Royal Enfield Factory

The USA may have the Harley Davidson, but India has the Enfield Bullet. This iconic motorcycle has been propelling thrill seekers around India since 1955, and the Bullet is still manufactured in the Royal Enfield Factory in north Chennai today.

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Country information

Country overview

India is a beautiful and bamboozling place, where holy cows amble along the streets, bask on heavenly beaches

next to modern hotels and where ancient temples sit perfectly at home besides shiny new offices.

Geography

India shares borders to the northwest with Pakistan, to the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and to the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, to the east the Bay of Bengal and to the south the Indian Ocean. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Indian territory but lie off the coast of Thailand in the Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast, and the Maldives off the southwest coast.

The far northeastern states and territories are all but separated from the rest of India by

Bangladesh as it extends northwards from the Bay of Bengal towards Bhutan.

India is separated from the rest of Asia by mountain ranges, forest, and desert -the Himalayan mountain range in the north, the Thar Desert in the west and the Chin Hills and Patkai ranges in the east. The Indus River runs through the northern disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The most sacred of rivers, the Ganges, is in the east.

General knowledge

Key facts

Population: 1,34 billion (estimate 2017)

Population Density (per sq km): 371

Capital: New Delhi.

Language

Hindi is the official language of India. English is also enshrined in the constitution for a wide range of official purposes. In addition, 21 regional languages are recognised by the constitution.

Currency

Notes: In November 2016, 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes were withdrawn from the financial system. New 500 and 2,000 rupee denomination notes are issued to replace those removed from circulation. The import and export of local currency is prohibited.

Electricity

230-240 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs are of the round two- and three-pin type.

Public holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2019 – December 2020 period.

Note

Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday are universally observed.

(a) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.

(b) Hindu festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is not possible to forecast the date of their occurrence exactly.

Nightlife in Chennai

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Strict licensing laws mean that nightlife in Chennai finishes early, but there are still plenty of cocktail bars, nightclubs and British-style pubs where you can party till midnight and not have to worry about your coach turning into a pumpkin.

Many of the top nightspots are in the big hotels, but Chennai also has a handful of independent watering holes where you can sink a mango daiquiri or a cool Kingfisher beer.

Zara

A Spanish tapas bar in the heart of Chennai – come for cocktails, DJ sets and delicious small plates in sophisticated company.

The Leather Bar

The Park Chennai, 601 Anna Salai 600006 Chennai India Show on map

Even the walls are coated in soft suede at this elegantly upholstered lounge bar in the stylish Park design hotel.

High Lounge

636 Anna Salai, Teynampet 600035 Chennai India Show on map

The rooftop bar at the Raintree Anna Salai has illuminated tables and spectacular views across the city skyline.

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Restaurants in Chennai

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Chennai is one of India’s foodie centres, the undisputed capital of richly spiced and chilli-laced South Indian vegetarian cooking. You can find fabulous combinations of spices wherever you eat, from humble street stalls to the most elegant banquet restaurants.

Eateries are scattered around the city, with many of the most desirable tables inside 5-star hotels.

Pan Asian

The ITC Grand Chola’s signature restaurant is the personal project of Vikramjit Roy, a rising star in Indian gastronomy; his Asian fusion dishes blend flavours from as a far afield as Singapore and Sichuan.

The Raintree

Binny Road 600002 Chennai India Show on map

Price: Expensive

The restaurant at the Vivanta by Taj Connemara hotel is an elegant escape, with tables under the stars in the leafy courtyard and lavishly spiced Chettiar-style curries and sauces.

Diwali (Deepavali)

Karthikai Deepam is a part of Diwali (Deepavali). Major Hindu festival; festival of lights punctuated with firecrackers from dawn and fireworks at night, new clothes and gifts of sweets, small candles lit at dusk outside homes.

Chennai Dance and Music Festival

December 2019 – January 2020

Venue: Various venues in Chennai

One of the largest music and dance festivals in the world – a celebration of classical music and dance of South India (Carnatic style), which is held at a number of venues around the city. The city comes alive with the festival which has now developed into a cultural extravaganza with more than 2,000 participants. Performances include vocal and instrumental music as well as dance by artistes of all ages.

All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.

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Hotels in Chennai

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Chennai has accommodation to suit all budgets, with cheap backpacker hotels clustered around Triplicane and Egmore and lavish 5-star chains scattered around the southern suburbs.

Most hotels fall into the business-class bracket, but the city has a handful of sleek modern boutique hotels offering a more refined experience.

The Leela Palace Chennai

Adyar Seaface, MRC Nagar 600028 Chennai India Show on map

Category: Expensive

Live like a maharaja in this palatial seafront hotel, with spectacular restaurants, an exquisite landscaped pool, and rooms filled with sumptuous fabrics.

7 days forecast

Climate & best time to visit India

The weather is mainly hot most of the year with significant variations from region to region. The coolest weather lasts from around the end of November to the beginning of March, with fresh mornings and evenings, and mostly sunny days. The really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and June. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer anywhere between June and early October.

Western Himalayas: Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be cold and damp in winter. Shimla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Gulmarg, Manali and Pahalgam are usually under several feet of snow from December to March and temperatures in Ladakh, which is a high-altitude desert, can be extremely cold. The mountain passes of Ladakh are accessible from July to October.

Northern Plains: Cities like New Delhi, Varanasi, Lucknow and Patna experience an extreme range of temperatures and are typically warm from April to mid-June, falling to almost freezing at night in winter between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.

Central India: Madhya Pradesh state escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.

Western India: November to February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid June and mid September.

Eastern India: Weather in states like Orissa (which is flood-prone) are defined by cooler weather from October to February, scorching heat from March to May and unavoidable drenching from the monsoons from June to October.

Southwest: The most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains fall anywhere between late April and July. Summer temperatures are not as high as Northern India although humidity is extreme. The coast benefits from some cooling breezes. Inland, Mysore and Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall.

Southeast: Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. The hills can be cold in winter.

Northeast: March to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall.

Phone calls & Internet

Mobile Telephone

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to major towns but is increasing all the time.

Internet

The internet can be reliably accessed from an increasing number of hotels and from internet cafés across the country, many now with Wi-Fi.

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Shopping in Chennai

Key Areas

The arts and crafts of the Indian south take pride of place in Chennai’s boutiques and emporiums. Silk, pearls, gold, footwear, stone carvings and bronze statues are popular purchases. Key shopping streets include Thyagaraya Nagar, Anna Salai and Khader Nawak Khan Road.

Markets

Stalls line the streets throughout Chennai, selling everything from silk saris to mobile phone covers, but the busiest bazaars are along Ranganathan Street, and in the crowded lanes around George Town and Parry’s Corner.

Shopping Centres

Chennai has caught the mall bug in a big way, and glitzy shopping centres full of international brands are springing up across the city. Key stops for shopaholics include Phoenix Market City (Velachery Main Road), Express Avenue (Whites Road), Chennai Citi Centre (Dr Radhakrishna Salai) and Spencer Plaza (Anna Salai).

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Traveller etiquette

Social Conventions

The traditional Hindu greeting is to fold the hands, tilt the head forward and say namaste. Indian women generally prefer not to shake hands. All visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. Most Indians also remove their footwear when entering their homes; visitors should follow suit.

Many Hindus are vegetarian and many, especially women, do not drink alcohol. Most Sikhs and Parsis do not smoke. Women are expected to dress modestly and men should also dress respectfully. Women should not wear short skirts and tight or revealing clothing, although there is a more casual approach to clothing in Goa.

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Health

Food & Drink

Water for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should first be boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is often unpasteurised and should be boiled. Avoid dairy products likely to have been made from non-boiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Do not eat salads, vegetables should be cooked and peel your own fruit. Don’t eat street vendor food unless it is piping hot. Tap water is not safe to drink, rely on bottled water which is widely available. However, do check the seal on bottled water.

Other Risks

Vaccinations are sometimes advised for hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, tuberculosis (for infants), polio and typhoid. Dengue and malaria are both caused by mosquito bites and are prevalent in hot and humid conditions. There are occasional, seasonal outbreaks of dengue fever. Travellers should vigilantly protect themselves against mosquito bites.

Even seasoned travellers may find themselves at the mercy of travellers’ diarrhoea. Hygiene standards vary. If possible, travel around with soap or antibacterial gel in order to clean your hands. The culprits that cause diarrhoea are often the microorganisms found in local water supplies, so decrease your chances by drinking bottled or boiled water. You can have alcoholic drinks but say no to ice. Drink carbonated beverages or those with only boiled water like coffee and tea.

Carry rehydration solution packets, Pepto Bismol or Imodium in case you are afflicted. Before your travel, seek medical advice about what to take for self-treatment.

Wear adequate sunscreen or do like the locals to beat the heat and avoid the sun between 1200 and 1600 when it is at its harshest; don a cotton kameez to keep covered and cool.

Note: All visitors aged between 18 and 70 years of age wishing to extend their visa for one year or more are required to take an AIDS test.

Contractual physician of Lufthansa

Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment.

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Visa & Immigration

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.